The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
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JFMM
23,3
382
Received 31 July 2018
Revised 9 February 2019
Accepted 17 April 2019
Journal of Fashion Marketing and
Management
Vol. 23 No. 3, 2019
pp. 382-395
© Emerald Publishing Limited
1361-2026
DOI 10.1108/JFMM-07-2018-0099
Second-hand fashion
market: consumer role in
circular economy
Maria Amália Dutra Machado, Stefânia Ordovás de Almeida,
Laura Chiattone Bollick and Gabriela Bragagnolo
Business School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul – PUCRS,
Porto Alegre, Brazil
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of consumer motivation in the context of the
circular economy (CE) through the reuse of fashion products.
Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative approach was employed through ethnographic as
well as in-depth interviews with nine consumers who buy used fashion products in thrift stores and street
fairs in Brazil.
Findings – The findings are based on interrelationships and overlaps found in the integration between
the three-dimensional consumer motivations to buy second-hand fashion cited in the literature. A framework
showing a virtuous circle of motivations involving the consumer in an active role in the CE is proposed
as a result.
Research limitations/implications – Limitations include participants’ selection and a single region data
collection. Implications aim to help researchers to more fully understand a new and complex consumer
behavior in a CE.
Practical implications – By highlighting consumers’ motivations for this kind of commerce, the practical
implications of this work are the possibilities to inspire retailers to start second-hand fashion businesses. Also,
policy makers can focus on engaging consumers in active roles that foster CE events.
Originality/value – This work is one of the first attempts to show the role of consumers in the CE and their
motivations to engage in this active behavior.
Keywords Brazil, Buying behaviour, Economic trends, Second-hand markets
Paper type Research paper
Thrift store is life! It is just washing and passing forward
Introduction
The quote above from one of our interviewees expresses well the spirit of an increasing
consumption of second-hand products. As evidence of this, in recent years alone, the resale
industry has generated billions of dollars in the USA (NARTS: The Association of Resale
Professionals, 2018). Cervellon et al. (2012) point out that the vintage fashion trend has
spurred consumption of used clothing over the last 10 years. This trend has also been
occurring in Brazil, where the number of thrift stores increased by 22 percent in 2015. The
rise is a consequence of a more conscious consumer market and less prejudice against
second-hand items (Dino, 2017). In addition, street fairs organized by consumers and thrift
stores have become more and more popular in several cities around the country. These
outdoor events, which often feature music and food trucks, attract thousands of people on
weekends (Fofonka, 2018) and, as a consequence, increased consumption of second-hand
fashion has caught the attention of researchers (Gopalakrishnan and Matthews, 2018).
The increase of online thrift shops and social media communities, which sell products to
individuals of all social classes, reinforces this trend. Consumers from higher social classes
buy these products because they want exclusive items, whereas lower social class customers
have a financial motivation (Turunen and Leipämaa-Leskinen, 2015).
 The second-hand fashion business model is a way of reducing resource use and waste, and Second-hand
has customers as primary partners and suppliers (Gopalakrishnan and Matthews, 2018). In a fashion market
context of circular economy (CE), it is important to understand the role of consumers in
second-hand fashion consumption. Geissdoerfer et al. (2017) define CE as a regenerative system
in which the flow of resources and waste are minimized by loops of material and energy, and
one way to achieve this is through reuse. Second-hand products – and more specifically, used
fashion products – are reused items with the consumers as both buyers and sellers. Several 383
studies have investigated the context of buying second-hand products (Bardhi and Arnould,
2005; Cervellon et al., 2012) and the motivations of second-hand fashion shopping (Ferraro et al.,
2016; Guiot and Roux, 2010; Xu et al., 2014). Furthermore, the second-hand fashion business
model and collaborative consumption (Gopalakrishnan and Matthews, 2018), as well as
voluntary disposition in clothing exchange events, (Albinsson and Perera, 2009) have also been
subjects of research.
The main motivations for the purchase of used clothes are defined in literature as
economic, critical, hedonic and recreational (Guiot and Roux, 2010; Ferraro et al., 2016).
However, the categorization presented in the literature shows these motivations as being
independent from each other, without any indication of potential relationships that may exist
between them. Also, the role played by consumers in promoting product reuse and stimulating
alternative markets is unclear. For this reason, the aim of this study is to investigate
consumers’ motivations in the context of CE through the reuse of fashion products. More
specifically, an integrative framework showing a virtuous cycle of motivations that involves
consumers in an active role in the CE is proposed as a result. Brazilian thrift stores and street
fairs are used as a research context. The following sections present literature, methodology
and results, as well as a discussion of the proposed framework and its implications.

Literature review
Circular economy and second-hand consumption
In the last decade, concern about the impact of industrial production on the environment has
increased considerably. As a consequence of this concern, the concept of CE has emerged as
a regenerative cycle of production and consumption (Bocken et al., 2016; Geissdoerfer et al.,
2017). The traditional linear business model focuses on large-scale production which
exploits natural resources, pollutes the environment and generates waste. In contrast, the
circular approach aims to sell artifacts and is attentive to the flow of materials and products
over time. In this sense, Lieder and Rashid (2016) describe CE company motivations as
economic benefits, resource scarcity and environmental impact. The circular business model
can reduce the use of resources by reusing products and materials in an economically viable
way (Bocken et al., 2016).
Several definitions have appeared over the last ten years concerning the concept of CE
(see Prieto-Sandoval et al. (2018) for a complete review of previous studies). Among these
definitions, the concept of CE as an economic system, based on business models, which
seeks to replace the “end-of-life” idea through a change of paradigm in the way that society
lives and interrelates with nature is common sense. The measures to prevent the depletion of
resources, through reuse, recycling and recovering materials in production/distribution and
consumption processes, are advocated by several authors including Prieto-Sandoval et al.
(2018), Saidani et al. (2019) and Kirchherr et al. (2017). These authors also point out that CE
operates at micro (enterprises and consumers), meso (economic agents integrated in
symbiosis) and macro (city, regions and governments) levels. Attaining this circular model
requires cyclical and regenerative environmental innovations in the way society legislates,
produces and consumes.
One way to operationalize the CE is to extend product life through reuse (Geissdoerfer
et al., 2017). Bocken et al. (2016) indicate that, within the CE, there are three resource cycles:
JFMM slowing, closing and narrowing loops. The business model using the slowing resource loop
23,3 strategy designs long-life goods and develops ways to extend product life. Through services
such as repairs and remanufacturing, a company operationalizes the slowing resource loop.
However, there are other ways to reuse products, and reuse measures are not restricted to
business models, consumers are also concerned about the impact of their own consumption.
One of these measures is collaborative consumption, which is defined as the consumption of
384 goods and services involving consumers in activities such as rent, loan, trade, barter and
exchange of products (Gopalakrishnan and Matthews, 2018). These activities are motivated
for sustainable proposals, and reuse is a way to achieve waste reduction (Geissdoerfer et al.,
2017). In this context, sustainable fashion consumption emerges as a megatrend that
responds to fast fashion cycles and traditional business models. In opposition to big
retailers’ fast fashion, “slow fashion” has received attention through moving mindsets from
quantity to quality (Vehmas et al., 2018).
On the one hand, the fashion industry started looking for alternatives to recycle their
products and receive used products, on the other hand, consumers became aware of their
own behavior, beginning to pay attention to how to dispose of their used clothes and reduce
their fashion consumption. In this sense, CE opens possibilities for a more sustainable
closed-loop system in fashion (Vehmas et al., 2018). As a result, the second-hand clothing
industry has increased in recent years (Gopalakrishnan and Matthews, 2018; Xu et al., 2014).
Some ways to dispose of used clothing are by donating or selling to thrift stores, swapping
or giving to close friends and family, recycling, and selling through alternative channels
such as garage sales, flea markets and internet platforms (Albinsson and Perera, 2009; Xu
et al., 2014). In the Brazilian context, the garage sale is not common. Flea markets not only
exist, but they also involve other products, such as furniture, books, pictures and vinyl
records. Therefore, the focus of this research is on thrift stores that sell second-hand clothing
and on used clothes street fairs.

Second-hand fashion purchase

Second-hand clothing is fashion apparel or an accessory that once belonged to someone else. It
may either have already had several years of use or may have been recently produced
(Cervellon et al., 2012). In Brazil, establishments that sell second-hand clothing are called
brechós (thrift stores), and often sell these products below the traditional market price (Bardhi
and Arnould, 2005). Although buying second-hand fashion can be seen as environmentally
friendly behavior, it can also be motivated by issues beyond ecological, including
psychological or material, which would entice the consumer to seek alternative sales channels
(Guiot and Roux, 2010). These reasons can also be related to a connection between consumers’
self-concept and possessions (Albinsson and Perera, 2009). Based on the literature review we
draw from categorization proposed by Ferraro et al. (2016) and Guiot and Roux (2010) in
economic, critical and hedonic and recreational dimensions, and enrich them with several
authors’ collaborations on the theme. This proposition is described below and in Table I.
Economic dimension for second-hand fashion purchase. The literature about second-hand
purchase focuses its discussion on economic factors which include three main concepts.
First, financial reasons motivate second-hand buying because it is a way to obtain a fair
price (Guiot and Roux, 2010); furthermore, restricted resources to spend during shopping
(Bardhi and Arnould, 2005) and access to branded products with a lower price may also
motivate this behavior. Cervellon et al. (2012) argue that frugality is also a financial reason,
once it motivates the search for low prices and cheap products. Second, a bargain is related
to the gratification of price and treasure hunting (Bardhi and Arnould, 2005; Cervellon et al.,
2012; Guiot and Roux, 2010). Consumers who buy second-hand products seek better quality
and feel good when they find something special. Finally, quality and durability
are characteristics that consumers look for in this type of product (Edbring et al., 2016).
Dimensions Concepts References
Second-hand
fashion market
Economic Bargain Bardhi and Arnould (2005), Cervellon et al. (2012), Ferraro et al.
(2016), Guiot and Roux (2010)
Quality and durability Bardhi and Arnould (2005), Edbring et al. (2016)
Financial reasons Bardhi and Arnould (2005), Cervellon et al. (2012), Edbring et al.
(2016), Ferraro et al. (2016), Guiot and Roux (2010).
Critical Environmental and Cervellon et al. (2012), Edbring et al. (2016), Ferraro et al. (2016), 385
ecological awareness Guiot and Roux (2010)
Critical and ethical Ferraro et al. (2016), Guiot and Roux (2010)
consumption
Hedonic and Personal reasons Edbring et al. (2016), Ferraro et al. (2016), Guiot and Roux (2010)
recreational
Desire to be unique Bardhi and Arnould (2005), Cervellon et al. (2012), Duffy et al. (2012),
Edbring et al. (2016), Ferraro et al. (2016), Guiot and Roux (2010)
Treasure hunting Bardhi and Arnould (2005), Cervellon et al. (2012), Edbring et al. (2016),
Guiot and Roux (2010), Turunen and Leipämaa-Leskinen (2015)
Nostalgia Cervellon et al. (2012), Duffy et al. (2012), Guiot and Roux (2010),
Turunen and Leipämaa-Leskinen (2015) Table I.
Social and familiar Bardhi and Arnould (2005), Duffy et al. (2012), Guiot and Roux Dimensions and
relationships (2010) concepts in literature

This feature is also true for other types of reused/recycled fashion consumption such as
circular garment consumption (Vehmas et al., 2018), and can be associated to the idea of
product life extension. These items are made with high-quality materials, such as silk,
leather, linen, cotton and wool. The search for these products in stores is also considered a
treasure hunt (Bardhi and Arnould, 2005).
Critical dimension for second-hand fashion purchase. The critical dimension includes two
concepts. First, the environmental and ecological awareness involves consumers’ concerns
about the impact on nature of mass production. Reducing the use of natural resources and
diminishing the production of garbage can motivate the purchase of second-hand clothing.
For environmental reasons, consumers reuse and recycle fashion apparel to extend product
life (Guiot and Roux, 2010; Edbring et al., 2016). The eco-fashion movement has brought
together consumers concerned with the impact of industrial production on their health, on
nature and on society.
Second, critical and ethical consumption includes consumer rejection of mass production
and the traditional production chain. For these consumers, second-hand shopping is a way
to confront society’s consumerism, diminish production and sell off unnecessary goods
(Roux and Korchia, 2006). Recycling, combating waste and ethical concerns are motivations
for this behavior (Cervellon et al., 2012; Guiot and Roux, 2010). For Guiot and Roux (2010),
anti-ostentation is a deliberate and conscious rejection of large-scale fashion production and
the valuing of items despised by other people. For this reason, consumers begin to think
about their own buying behavior and look for alternative ways to consume fashion.
Hedonic and recreational dimension for second-hand fashion purchase. Based on the
literature review, this study brings further concepts to the dimension previously proposed
by Guiot and Roux (2010) and Ferraro et al. (2016). First, treasure hunting is a concept
related to the pursuit of something that is not available in the market. When consumers find
collectible items (Bardhi and Arnould, 2005; Turunen and Leipämaa-Leskinen, 2015) or
products that are not available in the market (Edbring et al., 2016), they experience emotions
of pleasure and amusement.
Second, social and family relationships are a dimension enhanced by thrift stores, as a
visit to these places is seen as an enjoyable experience. While shopping, consumers interact
JFMM with the shop owners, salespeople and other customers. These relationships increase
23,3 satisfaction during the customer experience, and it can narrow down a link to the purchase
of items (Duffy et al., 2012; Guiot and Roux, 2010). In addition, some consumers have a
history of changing clothes between family and friends. These earlier experiences can
influence consumer choice for second-hand fashion products (Bardhi and Arnould, 2005).
Third, nostalgia is associated with the emotion that is awakened through some objects
386 and by the admiration of the history of the last owner (Duffy et al., 2012; Guiot and Roux,
2010; Turunen and Leipämaa-Leskinen, 2015). Nostalgia is defined as the preference for
objects that were more common when the individual was young, or as the desire to live in a
period of history that has passed (Cervellon et al., 2012). Some consumers also believe that
old items are of a better quality than those produced in the present, because they were made
with superior materials.
Fourth, a desire to be unique is related to originality, the pursuit of luxury products,
involvement with fashion and the purchase of vintage clothing (Bardhi and Arnould, 2005;
Duffy et al., 2012; Guiot and Roux, 2010). This need for differentiation is related to the
creation of the style itself, seeking originality and acceptance in a social group. We include
the purchase of vintage products with a desire to be unique, because it is a way of
distinguishing ourselves from others (Cervellon et al., 2012). Products which were produced
between the decades of the 1920s and the 1980s, with specific characteristics of an age style,
and which belonged to other people, are valued for their age and condition (Turunen and
Leipämaa-Leskinen, 2015). Consumers who purchase these items seek esthetics, style and
fashion (Duffy et al., 2012). However, in some cases, vintage clothes are more expensive than
those currently produced, because they are unique and rare (Cervellon et al., 2012). This
literature review allows integrating concepts related to the three dimensions regarding
second-hand clothes purchase. Table I summarizes this review.

Method
An exploratory qualitative approach is used in order to understand the role of consumers’
motivations in the context of the CE through the reuse of fashion products. As well as
traditional in-depth interviews with consumers and sellers (Arsel, 2017), our research
methodology includes ethnographic interviews conducted during participant observation
on street fairs and thrift stores. Using both approaches, nine consumers who visited thrift
stores and street fairs in Brazil were interviewed between October 25 and November 8, 2016.
Drawing from motivations identified in the literature for second-hand buying in CE, and
summarized in Table I; a data collection instrument was developed.
Participants were selected through the snowball technique (Flick, 2009). The interviews
were recorded through audiovisual resources, allowing the interpretation of the word and
environment conjointly. In order to preserve anonymity, interviewees’ names have been
changed. Data that could identify the participants, such as the names of the events they
organize, have also been changed. Our participants’ basic biodata are: Emily, female,
21 years old, high school degree, student; Emma, female, 59 years old, college degree, retired;
Doug, male, 28 years old, high school degree, visual merchandising; Parker, male, 27 years
old, high school degree, style assistant; Chloe, female, 23 years old, college degree, startup
employee; Frances, female, 23 years old, college degree, operational consultant; Monica,
female, 24 years old, college degree, operational consultant; Nicole, female, 33 years old,
college degree, thrift fair producer; and Linda, female, 58 years old, college degree, lawyer.
Audio transcripts were included in NVivo software to analyze the content of the
interviews. Data analysis followed a three-step process. First, all interviews were
transcribed and analyzed, totaling 4.5 h of filmed interviews, generating 47 single-spaced
pages of text using 12-sized Times New Roman font. The interviews were organized in nine
different files, one for each respondent. In the second step, each interview was Second-hand
cross-examined by the team of researchers having as a baseline, the concepts and fashion market
dimensions previously identified in the literature, as presented in Table I. Several excerpts
from the interviewees were coded with more than one code, demonstrating the
interrelationships between concepts that belong to different dimensions. Finally, a
thematic analysis following the process outlined by Lofland and Lofland (1995) was used.
This involved a coding process where key emergent codes were identified across the 387
different data sources (videos and interviews) to create congruency. These codes were then
organized individually to identify axial connections (themes). A peer-coding system, in
which the different researchers codified and exchanged ideas, was used to achieve a unified
code system which would ensure the trustworthiness and validity of the themes emerging
from the data analysis. The researchers agreed to the multiple coding of the excerpts,
evidencing the interrelation between the dimensions, which highlights the motivational
dimensions interrelation for second-hand fashion purchase in a CE.

Consumer role in circular economy

The analysis shows the interrelations between economic, critical and hedonic/recreational
motivational dimensions, identified in the literature through the aspects that emerged from
the data. We now present the interrelationship between the motivations consumers have in
order to play an active role in a CE, and from this, we propose an integrative framework to
visualize the concepts and their overlaps that motivate the consumer.

Critical and economic overlap

The results show the relationship between the critical and economic dimensions for second-
hand clothing purchase in thrift stores. Consumers are motivated by critical and ethical
consumption when buying such products. Also, there are financial reasons for buying
clothing in thrift stores because consumers want quality items at low prices. Although the
literature points to ecological consciousness (Cervellon et al., 2012), few interviewees
mentioned it. One possible explanation for this is that environmental concern in fashion is a
very recent phenomenon.
Participant Nicole has been the creator and organizer of “Fashion Trade,” held in Porto
Alegre, Brazil, for more than five years. For her, the sustainable fashion movement is one of
the reasons for the increase in shopping in thrift stores and, consequently, a raise in
environmental awareness in fashion buying. The fair is a way to promote this kind of
attitude: “The fair has changed, because before, it was a ‘Fashion Trade’, today it is a
sustainable fashion fair that involves […] people who want to get rid of their clothes.”
For Emily, shopping in thrift stores is a way to end consumerism. She comments that
consumerism can be seen in people who accumulate clothes they often do not wear. Buying
second-hand clothes, for Emily, is a way to “get out of the total cycle of buying in fast
fashion […] we know that their productive chain is tense.” The slow fashion movement is
congruent with previous research (Vehmas et al., 2018). This consumption behavior is
critical in nature and is a way of rejecting the traditional productive chain, rethinking how
fashion is consumed and decreasing the number of goods produced.
Clothes sold in thrift stores usually have superior quality to the fashion currently
produced (Edbring et al., 2016). For this reason, the quality of these products, an economic
factor, is associated with the concept of critical and ethical consumption, since buying high-
quality second-hand clothes is a way of prolonging the useful life of products and rejecting
the traditional production chain. For example, Linda shows off a coat made of imported wool
that she bought many years ago and Emily, when showing us some second-hand jeans that
she bought at a thrift shop, explains that the product is superior to other jeans sold in fast
fashion stores today. Doug’s comment supports this idea: “thrift stores are great for buying
JFMM jeans, […] old ones […]. I have them and […] they are so 1980, they are rough jeans, things
23,3 we do not find today, not this cutting model […].” Parker, who also likes to buy coats in
thrift shops, explains that this quality is not found today in the traditional market:
“The items that I buy in thrift stores, I cannot find in the market today. They do not exist in
the same style, material, model […]. I believe that it is not possible to reproduce the same
product, with the material that we use today, with the existing technology.”
388 However, many thrift shops have begun selling branded clothing at higher prices
because of the increased demand for these products. For several participants, this
movement is a way to take advantage of the consumer. Doug reports a fact to support this
argument: “[…] on the Instagram, [a thrift store] […] announced an incredible coat. […] the
jacket cost $66. No, a second-hand jacket is not worth $66 […]. This is because shopping in
thrift stores has become elitist and that is not the idea of a second-hand store.” Emma
speculates that luxury thrift stores specializing in selling used luxury brand items (Turunen
and Leipämaa-Leskinen, 2015) will not succeed because they are expensive. For Linda, these
stores charge excessive prices for clothing that they often receive for free or for below the
market price. According to previous studies, fair prices on branded products are an
important consumption motivation for second-hand clothing (Guiot and Roux, 2010; Bardhi
and Arnould, 2005), and what we find here is that this is not just important for the bargain,
but for the consumption value added on the peace price. Consumers evaluate the notion of
ethical fairness for this kind of trade.
Chloe created a second-hand clothing fair named “Let it Go.” She argues that when a
person sells his/her clothing, he/she has no further interest in wearing it. This item can be
donated to someone who needs it, or it can be sold for a lower price than a new piece. For her,
the donation of clothes has an ideology: “If you have used clothes, they should be donated to
someone. If this is no longer for you, it is unproductive for you […]. It has an ideology […]. If
you are going to put a price on what is not useful to you, which can be donated, you should
put a lower price.”
The critical and economic overlap highlights the association between critical and ethical
consumption and the search for second-hand products with quality and durability. Several
participants argued that this behavior of seeking better products at fair prices is a way of
rejecting the traditional fashion chain of production. In the participants’ perception, better
products are made with quality materials and have more value and durability. However,
charging high prices for second-hand clothing is seen as unethical behavior performed by
thrift store owners. This perception is related to the purpose of second-hand commerce,
which should be the circulation of goods that are not useful to the original owner, rather
than the creation of added value for the seller.

Critical and hedonic overlap

The results show that hedonic consumption (Guiot and Roux, 2010) is related to the desire to
be unique (Cervellon et al., 2012; Edbring et al., 2016), since consumers want to have clothes
different from those produced on a large scale by the fashion industry.
The vintage trend is a motivation to buy second-hand clothes (Cervellon et al., 2012;
Duffy et al., 2012). Several participants said that even a new product that emulates old styles
is not produced as in the past. Doug explains this difference: “The fashion industry makes
t-shirts with patterns that simulate marks [stains and wear], but the inspiration for this
pattern comes from the wear and tear of time, as with an item that already exists. However,
people want to buy something new that has only a reference to something used or old. Why
not use something old that really inspires this new thing?”
The pursuit of unique clothing is a way that consumers use to build their identity
through items they can identify with. While Chloe opens her closet and shows us her
second-hand clothes, she comments: “I like my things. They are not just what they are.
Every time I see clothes that belonged to someone else, I think it’s not just one thing […], Second-hand
these items have my identity.” These results are similar to those of Roux and Korchia (2006), fashion market
where desire for uniqueness is a good reason to use clothes that had previously belonged to
unknown individuals.
The results show that, within the critical and hedonic overlap, there is a relationship
between the desire to be unique and the critical consumption. Consumer behavior that
rejects the traditional production chain and searches for alternative channels for the 389
purchase of fashion is associated with the desire to be unique (Cervellon et al., 2012; Edbring
et al., 2016) and a search for originality (Guiot and Roux, 2010). The capacity to find
second-hand clothes in thrift stores is also perceived as a cultural capital (Duffy et al., 2012)
which motivates consumers to visit these places.

Economic and recreational overlap

The results show the importance of social relationships in thrift shopping. This idea is
evident in most participants’ responses because the custom of wearing used clothing often
comes from childhood. While Emma spreads a pile of second-hand clothes on the couch to
show us, she explains that she wore the clothes that were her mother’s and that she has the
custom of buying in thrift stores: “maybe it came from my childhood. A long time ago, we
used to meet one day a week and we showed each other beautiful things that we found
because we went looking for something and found something different.” The influence of
family and close friends is related to nostalgic feelings that refer to memories about the
individual past (Cervellon et al., 2012).
For Emma, the custom of buying second-hand clothes remains today because it also has
financial benefits. As pointed out in the literature, economic motivations involve the search
for products sold at fair prices (Guiot and Roux, 2010; Edbring et al., 2016). This motivation
is clear when Doug shows us a jacket and comments: “The essence of these cheap thrift
shops is to be cheap and sell items at low prices, which is the original idea of the thrift store.
With $3, you buy wonderful things, and people who buy from these stores are often people
who really want to buy cheap clothes for financial reasons.” This custom of visiting the
thrift shops begins because of financial reasons but over time becomes a leisure activity.
The search for clothes is pleasurable for the consumer when he/she finds something that has
his/her identity. Doug explains this: “Fashion is more than a way of dressing, showing who
we really are and what we think now […], is a kind of expression […]. Clothes represent
something. The way we dress is our brand, and it tells more than we want to say or tells it in
a way that we do not think but it is there speaking for us.”
However, although financial reasons motivate such behavior, economic restraint is not the
main reason consumers buy second-hand clothing. Most interviewees reported that it is a
genuine pleasure to find a good, beautiful and exclusive outfit at a lower price than that of the
traditional market. An excellent negotiation that causes consumer pride is defined in the
literature as a bargain (Bardhi and Arnould, 2005; Guiot and Roux, 2010). Doug exemplifies
this in his comment about a cheap item that he had obtained: “This jacket cost $1.35. If you find
this boyfriend style jacket, so cool, so cute, you pay $500. In a thrift store, […] if you are lucky,
you will find amazing jackets for $8.” When consumers buy clothes with lower prices than the
traditional market price, they show frugal behavior, since they save money and use it in other
consumer activities (Cervellon et al., 2012). Emma explains that money saved from shopping in
thrift stores is used in other activities, such as traveling or other forms of entertainment.
This habit of strolling through thrift stores and fashion flea markets is seen as a treasure
hunt (Ferraro et al., 2016; Guiot and Roux, 2010). Although some authors refer to treasure
hunting as a motivation related to the purchase of new clothes with vintage style (Cervellon
et al., 2012), many participants demonstrated the same feelings regarding the purchase of
second-hand clothes. Treasure hunting is defined as the pursuit of unique clothing that
JFMM when found arouses consumer pleasure and pride. These feelings are evident when Doug
23,3 explains, “[inside the thrift store] it is full of clothes, hangers full of clothes. You need to look
at them one by one […]. It is a treasure hunt to really be able to find something.”
The concepts of bargaining and treasure hunting are also associated with social relations
(Guiot and Roux, 2010). Consumers become friends with thrift shops owners. Linda says
that this relationship with the owner is essential for her to visit the store. For Emma, making
390 friends with the owners is habitual and makes buying exclusive clothes easier, since they
come into personal contact and offer novelties.
For Edbring et al. (2016), buying second-hand clothes is seen as a “fun” and “cool”
activity, as it stimulates and strengthens social relationships. For this reason, social
relationships can be a motivation for the popularization of this behavior. During our
observation at the “Fashion Trade” fair, Nicole comments that the event came up: “As a
meeting between friends. […]. Close friends came, other friends […] came too and we created
the event. After the first meeting, we never stopped. Since 2011, five years ago […]. And it
became something we never imagined, I quit my job and today I make a living out of it.”
Chloe also told us how the fair “Let it Go” came about as a gathering of friends: “I was with
some friends and […] I separated several clothes and offered them [to my friends] […]. Then
came the idea of doing an event on the street […]. The goal of the ‘Let it Go’ fair was to bring
friends, people who want to expose something, who want to donate or not, who want to
exchange things with another person.”
Interactions between owners, sellers and customers allow consumers to know the history
of the product they are buying and the events this clothing has been through until it reaches
the current owner (Duffy et al., 2012). For Chloe, second-hand clothes have a history, a
symbology and the exchange of used clothes involves people. Even when the story related
to clothing is negative; it does not interfere with the motivation to purchase. Chloe says it is
not a problem if the previous owner died: “My grandmother always says, ‘I do not buy these
second-hand clothes sold in thrift stores, they might be from someone who died.’ But people
die. I do not believe in this bad energy […] how good that the clothes are with me now.”
Emily also refers to the energy that is in the clothes: “I think it is good that I have this outfit.
This has already lived through some things, I do not know what it was, it can be something
bad, it can be something good, […]. But now it is with me and will live through things that
can also be very bad or very good.” This belief in the energy of objects and clothes, and the
role it has in object exchange is congruent with Albinsson and Perera’s (2009) findings.
The admiration for the history of clothing reinforces the relationship between the
concepts of nostalgia and appreciation of vintage pieces. This feeling is like a desire to live
in an age of history in which the individual was not born. Doug explains that: “[…] it is a
feeling of something that is from another time. […] the clothes I buy in thrift stores are not
just clothes. No. It has a marked age. You can see that it comes from another decade, from
another year and from another fashion segment that we cannot find today.” Although
vintage fashion is defined as clothing produced between 1920 and 1980 (Cervellon et al.,
2012), many participants quoted vintage clothing as being produced in the 1990s. Emily
explains that she paid a high price for an item of clothing produced in this decade: “this
[Hard Rock Café jacket] was more expensive because it is what they [fashion people] call a
relic […] and was something very striking at the time, in 1990.” According to Roux and
Korchia (2006), this sort of nostalgic experience has a therapy function for memory, working
against the uniformity and banality of mass production, and against a gradual
depersonalization of the individual.
The economic and recreational overlap includes concepts such as financial and personal
reasons, social relations, nostalgia, bargaining and treasure hunting. For most participants,
exchanging clothes among relatives in childhood motivates the consumption of
second-hand clothing. This behavior has become a leisure activity which generates
feelings like pleasure and well-being when the consumer can find high quality beautiful Second-hand
clothes, and manage to negotiate the price, lower than on the traditional market (Bardhi and fashion market
Arnould, 2005; Cervellon et al., 2012; Guiot and Roux, 2010). In addition, nostalgia
and interaction with thrift store owners, salespersons and other customers, also generate
positive emotions (Duffy et al., 2012).

Discussion 391
Analyzing the critical and economic overlap, we identify relationships between the concepts
of financial reasons, quality and durability, and critical and ethical consumption. In the
critical and hedonic overlap, we find an association between concepts of personal reasons
and critical and ethical consumption. Finally, in the economic and hedonic overlap, the
results reveal relationships between financial and personal reasons and social relations.
The analysis shows that the concepts are interconnected and the overlaps between the
dimensions motivate consumer engagement in CE. Although the consumer is not aware of
their own role in this context, they enter into a virtuous circle that leads to participation in
the slowing cycle. This result demonstrates that CE is beyond business models. Also, the
active role of the consumer in this system is highlighted.
The research findings show that consumers are so involved in second-hand purchases
that they become active players in CE, promoting events to encourage the exchange of used
clothes between people. Based on consumer reports and results analysis, it can be argued
that consumer engagement can also be a cycle that continually motivates their active role in
the extended fashion product life. The cycle begins with nostalgic feelings related to the
consumer’s childhood, when their family exchanged clothes between siblings and cousins.
Following this, second-hand fashion shopping becomes a custom for the consumer, mainly
for financial reasons. Consumers then realize that buying used clothes is a way to get
quality products that last longer. By having clothes that last longer, the consumer buys less
and begins to reject the traditional productive chain because it sells lower-quality products
at high prices. Consumers begin to relate to owners of thrift stores, salespersons, and
customers through second-hand clothing purchases. Furthermore, they show the items they
purchased to friends and family, and exchange other clothes they no longer need. They
involve other people, through social relationships, in buying second-hand clothes.
Consequently, consumers begin to take an active role in CE and accumulate memories that
derive nostalgic feelings, restarting the cycle again. Figure 1 illustrates this framework.
As Figure 1 shows, the findings allowed us to construct a framework that illustrates a
virtuous cycle, motivating the consumer to play an active role in CE, contributing to a
slowing resources cycle and extending the lifespan of fashion products. For Gopalakrishnan
and Matthews (2018), the essential components of second-hand fashion retail are the
customers, resources, activities, partnerships, cost and revenue, among others. The results
show that consumers have a fundamental position in this chain, because they are customers,
sellers, partners and suppliers in this context. For this reason, one important contribution of
this work is to highlight the consumer’s role in the CE, which goes beyond business models.
As a contribution to the previously mentioned concepts in the literature, we identified the
decision-making process in the purchase of second-hand clothes in thrift stores. This type of
purchase is an acquisition that is both planned and unexpected. Whether the consumer
plans to go to the thrift store, or enters casually, by chance, it is not common to look for
specific products. What they look for in a second-hand store is precisely a treasure. It is not a
purchase by necessity, but a hedonic purchase by nature (Bardhi and Arnould, 2005). People
go to thrift shops for pleasure and buy because they want to feel good or because they
identify the opportunity of buying a rare outfit for a fair price.
Critical and ethical consumption behavior, presented by participants as a form of
rejection of the traditional productive chain, is another important consideration. This
JFMM Nostalgic feelings
related to consumer
23,3 childhood
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Relationships with r so
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owners of thrift

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stores, sellers and

ea
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Figure 1. reject the traditional a Q u ali
Virtuous circle of production chain because i ng Buying used clothing
hun t
it sells lower quality Tr e a s u r e is one way to get
consumer engagement
in circular economy products at high prices quality products that
last longer

concern about the social impact of mass fashion production, although defended by
consumers, does not constraint personal or financial reasons for consumption. Some
products that consumers perceive as expensive at thrift stores are purchased at fast fashion
stores. The results show that consumers have neither anti-consumer behavior, nor do they
avoid fast fashion shops. In fact, consumers reduce purchases in traditional stores as a
means of alleviating the social costs of production to society. Also, this behavior attenuates
the psychological costs of such consumption to consumers. It is not about not consuming
anything, but rather consuming less in traditional fashion retailers and more in thrift stores.
Regarding the theoretical dimensions integration for buying second-hand fashion, the
findings show that concepts such as quality and durability are related to both economic and
critical dimensions. High-quality clothes last longer and therefore help preserve the
environment of new production processes. At the same time, these quality products are
worth what they cost, especially when purchased in bargaining situations. Bargaining,
paying less or a fair price for something, is part of the well-being produced by the purchase
and reinforces the frugal attitude of the consumer. Therefore, the interlocution of several
concepts previously dichotomized in the literature, and the inclusion of new perceptions that
emerged from data to understand consumers’ motivation on CE, are other very important
contributions of this work.

Final considerations
This paper aims to investigate the role of consumers’ motivations in the context of CE through
the reuse of fashion products. To reach this goal, we interviewed nine consumers who buy
second-hand clothing in thrift stores and street fairs. Based on three motivational dimensions
proposed in the literature, and the integration of concepts previously mentioned by several
authors, we identified interrelationships and overlaps between these dimensions. Following
this, we built a framework that shows a virtuous cycle of consumer engagement in CE.
 Research analysis shows that purchase of second-hand fashion is related to the collectivity, Second-hand
mainly because social relations propitiate interactions within the thrift environment fashion market
(Guiot and Roux, 2010). On the other hand, even with some critical awareness behind buying
second-hand fashion, consumers do not demonstrate anti-consumer behavior. While
consumers avoid fast fashion stores, well-known brands offer authenticity and quality to
second-hand products, which are used as pricing parameters. In the end, the individual creates
his own rules of what is valid or not for prices, social acceptance and self-well-being. 393
Consumers’ personal reasons for second-hand shopping, such as environmental
concerns, economic bargain or nostalgic feelings, motivate the action in the first moment.
Buying high-quality fashion products that can reinforce consumers’ self-concept and search
for originality reinforces this cycle. The more consumers go to street fairs and thrift stores,
the stronger their relationships become with people in this market channel, such as
salespersons and other consumers, and the stronger their feeling of rejection for the
traditional production chain (event though it could be present also as an initial motivation).
By the end, it is normally a hedonic buying experience that results in financial benefits and
critical behavior. In this sense, the role consumers play in CE is fundamental to
understanding the alternative channels for goods exchange and possible ways for extending
the products’ lifecycle.
This work has theoretical and practical implications. The integration of concepts
and dimensions previously mentioned in the literature shows that the motivations for
second-hand fashion purchase are not independent. These results may help researchers to
more fully understand the complex consumer behavior in these contexts. Moreover, by
showing a consumers’ perspective, the findings contribute to authors who investigate CE.
Lieder and Rashid’s (2016) previous work showed that company’s motivations to be
involved in CE were economic benefits, resource scarcity and environmental impact. Our
results show that consumers also value the same benefits as well as the hedonic experience,
with all its associated concepts. In this sense, as managerial practical implications, this work
can inspire retailers wishing to start second-hand fashion sales by highlighting consumers’
motivations for this kind of purchase.
From an economic point of view, consumers realize that they can buy higher-quality
products that last longer with lower prices than on the traditional market. Regarding
resource scarcity and environmental worries, buying less and rejecting the traditional
production chain because they sell lower-quality products at high prices, is seen as a way to
control the environmental impact (Roux and Korchia, 2006). As the study revealed,
consumers have worries that are congruent with production chain waste and its
environmental impact. Based on such results, companies can observe if their strategies are
aligned with consumer motivations, modeling services and products even in a traditional
business that deals with new clothing, such as adverting recyclable material usage,
environmentally friendly cotton, or even concerns about mass production. This is a way for
companies to demonstrate that they are concerned about the impact of their activities on the
environment and society. Policy makers can also focus on engaging consumers in active
roles that foster CE events and propose ways to motivate citizens’ actions and street fairs for
second-hand products. This procedure would also enhance the third motivational
dimension, the hedonic aspect of second-hand clothing, providing a better shopping
experience for citizens.
A challenge for business practice that shows up from our framework is to deal with fast
fashion and slow fashion distribution channels and consumption modes at the same time.
Even though consumers can seem to be of different profiles, not all of them are enthusiastic
about just one side of consumption. Several consumers use both sources of retailing to get
fashion. In this sense, in a liquid society, to understand consumer’s timely and constant
motivations can be more significant for companies than standard segmentation categories.
JFMM A suggestion for fashion brands, even in the traditional production market, would be to
23,3 associate with slow fashion cultural capital. Brands can offer moments of product exchange
between consumers, providing interactions that stimulate social relations. In addition,
companies can stimulate consumer involvement in the remanufacturing or recycling
process, even though it is not their main manufacturing process. In this respect, attention
needs to be paid to prices because consumers note the difference between the cost of
394 remanufactured, recycled or used products and new products. Thus, companies can also
enter into a virtuous circle of engagement in CE, having a closer relationship with their
customers and caring for present and future generations.
Despite these implications, this work has limitations. Some participants are known to
each other. On the one hand, this can enrich the discussion and highlight the importance of
social relations in this type of consumer behavior. However, this may limit the perceptions
analyzed. Future research could interview people of varying ages, social classes and
locations. Albinsson and Perera’s (2009) research indicates that people’s characteristics, as
well as community of belonging, have an influence on second-hand consumption.
Researchers could also deepen the investigation on the influence of social relations on the
active role of consumers in the extension of fashion products’ lifecycle, and also on engaging
in activities related to CE. Finally, associated with a business model perspective, future
directions can examine the alternative channels that foment CE.

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Corresponding author
Maria Amália Dutra Machado can be contacted at: maria.machado86@edu.pucrs.br

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